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AIBU?

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Original poster

Period poverty

305 replies

ChocolateAndMoreChocolate · 23/07/2019 12:44

AIBU to remind you period poverty exists?

Came on this morning, did not have any sanitary items. Asked my DM to send me £5 until payday (Friday). She could only PayPal so I tried to withdraw the funds and I’m on a 72 hour wait!

So no view of having sanitary items for 3 days... and now I also hate pay pal Sad

OP posts:
Solonelywastheballard · 23/07/2019 17:20

You'll have plenty of money to buy whatever you like after all these well meaning mumsnetters transfer you cash.

Think I'll post one of these tomorrow, I'd like a new pair of shoes.

wigglybluelines · 23/07/2019 17:20

Tissue used instead ... that just wouldn’t work for goodness sake

You've obviously never been so skint you need to make it work.

I used to roll the tissue and put it between my labia so they held it in place. It did work, most of the time. Obviously if you have a heavy flow you need to replace it often. And it's prone to leaks. But if that's all you've got, then that's what you use.

Frequency · 23/07/2019 17:26

If you don't have a single penny until X day then it doesn't matter how cheap the cheap ones are. They could be 5p for a hundred. If you haven't got 5p, you can't buy them.

OP said she has 0p in her bank so unless you all know of an easily accessible supermarket giving them away free then telling OP how cheap they are is not helping.

There are loads of reasons someone on a tight budget might have absolutely not a single, solitary penny in their house or in the bank. Benefit sanctions and the six week wait for UC, unexpected bills, sudden unemployment, a bereavement, bank account frozen and so on.

Yeah it would have been better if OP planned ahead and bought three million cheap tampons the day she got paid but she didn't and we don't know why she didn't. Perhaps on payday she needed food, gas and electric and there wasn't 50p left over for sanpro. I know when I was on the bones of my arse I wasn't stocking up on Asda Smart Price tampons every pay day. I was buying what I needed that week and only what I needed that week. If I was due on I bought sanpro but I didn't keep it stocked up just in case because I couldn't afford to.

Perhaps she came on early and was planning on buying some in a few days or perhaps she wasn't quite as skint so didn't think about it because she can usually afford to pop to the local shop for sanpro when she needs it.

K1ssIt · 23/07/2019 17:26

I've tried cheap generic Chinese made menstrual cups on amazon because I wanted to see how I got on with then before splashing out £20+ and a nasty reaction to whatever the fuck it's supposed to made of out me off using them ever again. My vagina and vulva felt like burning and the outside was visibly swollen.

I read about a bit more and read something about cheap non branded generic ones aren't always made with safe materials for use inside the body.

I tried an actual Mooncup after learning the above and it's a whole different experience. Not all cheap ones are bad but I'd suggest anyone thinking if buying them to do a bit research outside of amazon reviews because I've had about ten Chinese sellers offer me them free in exchange for five star reviews and I'll just ignore but clicking their links shows hundreds of people accept them and leave five star reviews with photos of product in packaging etc.

Grobagsforever · 23/07/2019 17:34

I'd happily send you a fiver as well @ChocolateAndMoreChocolate , I'd rather risk you being a scammer than risk you going without sanpro for three days. Ppl on here can be vile. PM me if you still need it.

shieldmaidenofrohan · 23/07/2019 17:46

An excellent campaign for Mumsnet would be to remove the VAT on sanpro @justinemumsnet

SagAloojah · 23/07/2019 17:59

Wouldn’t it be easier to have an overdraft with the bank?

You would have to go to the bank to withdraw £5.

JacquesHammer · 23/07/2019 18:02

The cheap shops have loads of cheap products

And the cost of getting to the cheap shops?

Frequency · 23/07/2019 18:06

Wouldn’t it be easier to have an overdraft with the bank?

You can't get one unless you have a regular income not from benefits coming into your bank. I applied for one loads of times when I was self employed and again when my client refused to pay and HMRC stopped my tax credits. I had no other debts, wasn't in arrears with rent or council tax or utilities and was turned down repeatedly.

Three months after I took up regular employment my bank automatically applied a £500 over draft to my account Hmm Getting credit when you're skint is next to impossible. The only options you have are pay day lenders and loan sharks. Being poor is expensive.

bellinisurge · 23/07/2019 18:11
Try this
wigglybluelines · 23/07/2019 18:13

Wouldn’t it be easier to have an overdraft with the bank?

Hahahahahahahahahaha FFS you are from a different planet. (Probably a very nice one, please enjoy it there).

Anyone so skint they can't afford tampons is either at the limit of their overdraft already or the bank won't give them one.

I've been living in my overdraft for over a decade now I think! My pay only just takes me over, so I'm in the black for a week or so each month, that's it.

Mummyto2munchkins · 23/07/2019 18:14

Yes I can believe that the OP has not got any money, and so what if she is using her phone?
I currently have 56p in my bank account. I have a nearly 4 year old and an 11month old baby. I breastfed him and came on my first period at the weekend since having him. My partner has just returned to work after caring for his father and has to work a month in hand and with only my wage we have a LOT more money going out now on petrol etc.
Luckily I had some stocked up from before DC was born and after having him otherwise I would be in this EXACT same situation.

It's lovely people are offering to help somebody in need out. It's not a womans fault that she has periods.

Hope you've sorted something OP! Flowers

SilverySurfer · 23/07/2019 18:15

shieldmaidenofrohan
An excellent campaign for Mumsnet would be to remove the VAT on sanpro @justinemumsnet**

That tax is imposed by the EU so a campaign would achieve nothing. Hopefully when we are out of the EU, it can be removed.

I agree with everything posted by Babdoc.

I'm way past having periods but on a couple of occasions in the past when in a similar situation I used what was to hand, eg face cloths, cut up old t shirts, rolled up knickers, wads of loo roll etc. It would never have occurred to me to come on a forum to talk about it and if it wasn't in the hope that people would send money, I'm not sure of the point of the thread.

NoBaggyPants · 23/07/2019 18:20

I'm not sure of the point of the thread.

To remind us that some people are in such dire straits that they cannot afford sanitary protection. Have you missed how many people are in poverty in the UK?

FreshFreesias · 23/07/2019 18:21

I agree with @babdoc too.
In the past I have used rolled up socks, kitchen towel and toilet paper from public toilets to tide me over. Not great but needs must.
Sanpro is a relatively recent thing: I guess in the past women had to make do and mend.

hashtagthathappened · 23/07/2019 18:22

I’m skeptical because why didn’t DM put the money straight in her bank account?

Jacques did you suggest the OP PMd you? Did you really? Wow. What a good person you are

K1ssIt · 23/07/2019 18:34

Wouldn’t it be easier to have an overdraft with the bank?

An overdraft would have made my life a lot easier when I was in the bones of my arse but there's no chance I'd be given one. If a persons bank account is £0 and there's only benefits going in, or even nothing if waiting the six weeks for universal credit it's unlikely a bank would give one.

jennymanara · 23/07/2019 18:49

There are other temporary options as has been pointed out by women on this thread who have been properly skint. I have used them too in the past. Toilet paper does work. I have used it from public toilets. No it is not ideal, but it will do for 3 days.
But then it does IME tend to be middle class people who have never been skint who are the most likely to be scammed. Those who have been properly skint know there are options. And those options include going to the many places these days with free sanpro for those in poverty.

SilverySurfer · 23/07/2019 18:54

NoBaggyPants
To remind us that some people are in such dire straits that they cannot afford sanitary protection. Have you missed how many people are in poverty in the UK?

I am aware of people in poverty and do what I can afford in terms of food banks and charities but they don't all post on here do they. I assume they do what most of us have done at some point and either get help from a family member or friend or improvise like many on here have suggested.

Had I posted this thread (although I wouldn't in a million years) I would at least have come back to thank those who have given workable suggestions. I think anyone who sends money to someone on here is foolish, whether they can afford it or not but that's their choice.

Since there are ways to deal with period poverty which don't need money, I think it comes way below those who don't have enough food every day and can't afford their rent or utility bills - none of those can be easily solved with a bit of towelling and a wad of loo roll so excuse me if I can't get excited about it.

SaltedCaramels · 23/07/2019 18:58

Apologies if this has been mentioned up thread, but the Government have just launched their Period Poverty Taskforce.

www.gov.uk/government/news/period-poverty-taskforce-meets-for-the-first-time

Whitecandle · 23/07/2019 18:59

@wigglybluelines fucking shit about the overdraft. I'm in the same position and now being on maternity leave and having to go back to work part time when I do go back I can't ever see a way out of it!!

Frequency · 23/07/2019 19:01

But then it does IME tend to be middle class people who have never been skint who are the most likely to be scammed. Those who have been properly skint know there are options. And those options include going to the many places these days with free sanpro for those in poverty

Bollocks. I've been properly skint a few times and it only made me more determined to help people in need if I could because I know how utterly, utterly depressing and demoralising poverty is. Sure, you can go to a food bank or use an old towel or loo roll but all of those options are grim. If I can help someone not to have to do that I will. And if I get scammed out of a £2.69p worth of Always Ultra I'm sure I'll get over it eventually.

Nat6999 · 23/07/2019 19:10

It wont help this month but look at all the brands of sanitary products & check out the websites to see if they offer free samples. If you manage to find a little cash, buy the cheapest maternity pads you can find, they are very absorbent & will last a bit longer than ordinary pads. It's disgusting that in this day & age women & girls are having to go to such lengths for something that is as natural as going to the toilet, there should be a voucher scheme like free prescriptions to end period poverty.

Original poster
ChocolateAndMoreChocolate · 23/07/2019 19:28

I just wanted to make sure people remember that it’s not a myth it’s real and it’s a problem

OP posts:
shieldmaidenofrohan · 23/07/2019 19:34

OP you committed two of the MN cardinal sins.. 1. Post and run so you can therefore be accused of trolling cos perish the thought you have other things to do in your life and 2. Post something that could vaguely be construed as angling for money
Hope you are sorted now

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